Bloody Hearts
by Ren0Zia
Summary: In a world where souls are placed into a body therefore giving it life, Oz Vessalius meets Alice and encounters a bloody incident. Slowly, he begins to find out the truth of the world he lives in and sees his role to play.
1. Alice

I do not own _Pandora Hearts._

"Ow!" cried Oz Vessalius as he bumped into someone on the street. The girl that he bumped into had dark brown hair with two braids. Oz offered his hands to the girl on the ground and when the girl touched his hand, even through her thick gloves, he could feel that her hands were cold like ice.

Oz was a little stunned as he pulled his hand back and stared at the girl on the ground.

"Come to my place for a while," he said. "Your hands must be freezing out here." Oz looked at the calendar stitched onto a weaving in a store realizing that it was in the middle of autumn and although the wind blew, the sun still shined warmly on his golden hair and although he was wearing much thinner clothing than the girl, he was really warm.

"Thank you but I will have to pass on the offer. I have somewhere I must go," was the quiet response he got. Her voice was sweet and gentle like twinkling bells.

The girl started walking quickly. Oz did not know why but he followed behind her trying to escape her notice. The girl obviously noticed but did not seem to mind. When she turned the corner, she disappeared.

_Damn! I did not notice_! Thought Oz, visibly pissed at his carelessness. As Oz walked, he found a church. Not knowing why, he pushed the heavy doors and went inside.

Inside the church was large and vast. The church was apparently abandoned. The temperature inside the church was at least below 2 degrees Celsius.

_Why is there not a heater? _Thought Oz Vessalius. Paying more attention to the ruined chairs, he did not notice until later that there was a sound of the piano being played.

The melody was sweet and nostalgic in a way. Looking up, Oz saw the brown haired girl from a while ago playing the piano at the front of the church.

"What is it that you are playing?" he asked.

The girl neglected to answer but instead, kept on playing. She played and played and played. Oz wondered when she would stop but the girl did not give any signals or signs showing that she would stop.

Suddenly, she stopped ending the piece with a gentle collection of notes.

"Lacie," she said in an emotionless voice. This voice contained nothing of the twinkling sound that was filled in her voice before.

Oz did not realize what she was saying, "huh?"

"The piece," she responded.

"Oh. I am sorry for bothering you. My name is Oz. What is yours?"

"Alice."

"Okay, Alice. Where did you learn how to play this piece?"

"Memory."

Oz decided not to ask any further about the piece. "What are you doing in here?"

"Playing the piano."

"It is really cold in here. Do you have somewhere to go? Or do you want to accept my offer from earlier?"

"No."

"Okay Alice. Let us go to my place."

Alice was dragged along by Oz and together they went to Oz's house.

At Oz's house, which was a large mansion, Oz brought Alice some hot coffee.

"Do you want sugar?" he asked.

"No."

"Here. Sit by the fire to warm up your hands."

Alice moved towards the fire. She sat there for three hours. By now, it was 16:00.

"Alice, why are you suddenly so different from before? It is like you are a different person." Oz asked.

"I act." Was his curt response.

"Alice, let me feel your hands." Oz said.

Alice shook her head.

With a little more persuasion, Oz managed to touch Alice's hands.

"They are still freezing cold!" exclaimed Oz. A slightly worried expression covered his face.

"It is all right." Alice said, "They are always like that anyway. Even if I burn them, they will not warm up."

"How can you play the piano so quickly with frozen hands?"

"Cold and warm does not matter. As long as this body moves."

With that, Alice left Oz's house and marched back onto the street.

That night, Oz was in his bet still preoccupied with his thought about Alice, the girl with cold hands. Finding himself unable to sleep, he took a candle and walked out of his large mansion into his just as large garden.

From the garden, he kept on walking and walking even though he did not know where too. He just had the feeling that he had to keep on walking until he reached his destination.

As he left the ground belonging to his family, he walked down the cold stone stairs and towards the abandoned alley four blocks behind the church.

As he walked towards the alley, he slowly began to feel uneasy. Every part of him was telling him, "Do not go, do not go." But he went anyway. As he slowly approached, he could hear people shouting. One voice, two voices. And footsteps running towards one another. A gunshot. A blade being pulled out of its sheath. And the wind blowing loudly, as if trying to warn him about the bloody destiny that was about to roll out in front of him.


	2. The Chained Ones

I do not own _Pandora Hearts._

When Oz turned the corner to the alley, what he saw was unbelievable. He saw a man wearing a black flapping long-coat with raven hair and gold eyes holding a gun and another man with a bullet in his shoulder, greasy hair, unnaturally strained muscles holding a knife with an out-of-control look on his face.

The man with a knife charged at the other and was shot in the heart a few times. The shots only seemed to slow him down. When the man with the knife reached the other man, he attempted to stab the other man's heart. The raven was stabbed in the arm that he used to block the knife and stretching out his right arm, he wrapped his gloved hand around the man's head and his right hand seemed to glow slightly before the man in front of him blew up seemingly from the inside. The man's body parts flew everywhere and the raven inspected his arm.

Oz fell down to his knees in shock. That is when the raven noticed him. The raven approached him and grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the center of the place.

"How long were you there?" he demanded.

"Long enough," Oz replied trying to keep a steady voice.

"What is wrong with you? Most people would have passed out or started screaming bloody murder by now."

"Would you like me too? Sorry. Despite how I look, I am pretty confident in my ability to adapt."

"Oh, oh is that so?" A man appeared from the shadows. He had white hair and one red eye. He was with another girl and a puppet. His voice was snake-like and provoking. "Well, well, what do we have here? Miss Sharon, it seems like we have quite a problem in our hands.

"Yes, I can see that Break. Would you mind explaining this mess to us, Gilbert?" said the girl, Sharon, who appeared with the white haired man named Break.

"He saw me taking care of one of those Chains." Replied the raven haired man, Gilbert.

"Oh my Gilbert, what will you do about him?" said Break, smirking.

"Should we kill him?" amused Sharon.

As the three of them approached Oz, four more of those chains, as they were called, appeared.

"Behind you!" Oz cried.

As they turned around, one of the chains was about to dig his knife into Gilbert's neck.

"Stop!" Screamed Oz pushing his hand forward. As he did that, a golden glow that was slightly emerald, like his golden blond hair and his light green eyes, appeared with his hands and immediately, the light engulfed the four men causing them to explode just as the one man that Gilbert was fighting.

Oz was stunned. The other three people were even more stunned.

"I– What?" Oz muttered still quite confused.

By then, the other three people recovered.

"What are you?" they asked simultaneously.

"I am Oz."

"What is your family name?" Sharon asked.

"Vessalius. Why?"

The three people stepped back a little. That was when Gilbert approached Oz. Surprising Oz, Gilbert knelt before him and said, "I swear to serve you until my death my Master."

Oz was confused. That is what showed on his face. _First, they blow someone up, than they talk about killing me. After that, the man named Gilbert who was holding me by the collar calls me master and swears to serve me. The most interesting day of my life. _

"Regardless of what you say, it is still amazing you can still be smiling after that." Sharon said, bemused at this person in front of her.

"Could you please explain what just happened?" Oz asked, sighing.

"Yes. Immediately. If you would, Break?"

"Yes milady." Replied Break. "Do you know of the massacre in Sabrié 99 years ago? Do you know the truth behind it? Do you want to know?"

"Break!" snapped Sharon hitting Break's head with a fan.

"Sorry, sorry. Anyway, it started when Pandora's box was opened 99 years ago. When that happened, some things came out. Pieces of paper. Glen Baskerville attained a spell that could put souls back into humans from Pandora's Will. With that, he attempted to create a world where he would be in control so he slayed everyone in his city, including the princess in the castle. He revived them by placing different souls in them and added "adjustments" to the souls so they would obey him.

When someone is called "alive," a soul is placed into their body therefore animating it. When they die, it is when the soul leaves. A stillborn baby is when the soul dislikes the body and rejects it. All people who are brought back with a second soul has to be brought back by Glen or a Baskerville and will be controlled by them.

The forum was not the only thing that came out of Pandora's box. We are apart of a group named Pandora in order to solve the mystery of the prophecy that was said to happen when Jack Vessalius' first reincarnation was found which would happen every 99 years.

The men who were there are an example of the people that would be brought back. They are called The Chained ones or Chains for short. Right now, the Baskervilles are creating them but without Glen Baskerville, they cannot create more than one or two chains at a time. When the reincarnation of Glen is found, he must be touched by each one of the immortal, no rebirthed, Baskervilles therefore taking over the body of his reincarnation."

Oz stood there and slowly letting his brain process what he just heard.

"Oh, yes. Did you ever happen to meet someone like this?" Break continued showing Oz a picture of Alice.

"Alice?" Oz asked.

"Oh? Her name is Alice you said? Where can I find this Alice?"

"I saw her before. In a church."

"Well then, Oz Vessalius. It is getting very late so if you have any questions, ask them to me tomorrow outside this church where Alice is. You might also want to know a little more about yourself and Gilbert."

With that, Break, Sharon and Gilbert disappeared into the darkness however, Oz could still fell Gilbert's dark shadow with him.


	3. Church

I do not own _Pandora Hearts._

The following morning, Oz woke up early and realized that he was so tired last night he had not asked Break when they would meet up. After he got up, ate breakfast, was tutored math, science and language arts, and was screamed at by Ms. Kate for sneaking out last night, Oz decided to go to the church.

Today, the wind was blowing slightly, a dangerous air. It was not so different from last night and realizing that only made things worse for Oz.

When Oz reached the church, Break was already there with Gilbert.

"You are late," he sang. "Gilbert and I got tired of waiting."

"Yes. Because I thought you might like to reconsider using be as bait to draw Alice out. Or maybe it was so she would listen to you?" Oz replied.

Break sighed, "It was my mistake to underestimate a Vessalius. I will be more careful but this time, it is your loss. We are much more powerful than you. You cannot beat us. You will go in there and hound up that indifferent little girl for us will you not, Oz?"

"No. To start off, I am not sure why but Gilbert did say he would serve me until his death did he not? He was following me the entire time until I reached my room too. Also, from what you said yesterday, you need me for the prophecy, am I right? I play a role in your prophecy. That is why you will not kill me. Instead, you might me kind enough as to do something along the lines of asking me to join Pandora."

Break signed again, "They should start un-educating you smart ass kids."

"That would make you one too." Retorted Oz.

"Okay. You got me. Then how about this: you can ask me any questions for the next hour. I will answer them without hesitation. I will not stall for time. In return, you will go in and hound Alice for me."

"Deal." Said Oz, satisfied. "First, why do you need me?"

"Because you are the first reincarnation of Jack Vessalius. It is that golden light from yesterday and the fact that you are the only male Vessalius of this generation."

"Who is Gilbert?"

"Gilbert is the reincarnation of the Gilbert who served Jack 99 years ago. Though it is a little ironic that he was born into the Nightray family; the arch-rivals of the Vessalius."

"Who are you?"

"I am Xerxes Break. I am called a brother by Sharon from the Reinsworth family."

"What did the prophecy say?"

"I have to think for this one. I hope you do not mind? …Let me see… Oh right… _'Down the road where blood flows freely; Bound by the chains that makes one seely; He who prevents the happening of reoccurrence; Of what should never be repeated like currents; Watched over by he, the one who prevailed; To stop the repeated misery, of he who failed; To see to the end of the never-ending piece; And put to rest the one who needs peace; To meet the black ones who were stained with blood; To stop the growth of the scarlet bud; Move forward and see; Towards the end of thee.'_"

"Who is Alice?"

"Tell me something first. Are Alice's hands always cold?"

"How would– Wait… How did you–"

"Know?" guessed Break. "It was obvious. It is because Alice is a Chained One. But a little different from the others. She was the princess who died in the Tragedy of Sabrié. She was brought back to life about two years ago. No one knows by who though. The difference between her and the others is that she is not under anyone's control. I do not know what kind of soul was placed into her but no matter what kind of soul it was, remember this: the hands of a Chain is always cold. Also, it seems she acquired some special powers after becoming a Chain. Be careful.

Oh! Look at the time! It is past one hour. Come on. Let us go Oz Vessalius!"

As Oz and Break walked into the church, they saw Alice. There she was playing Lacie on the piano. _That seems to be all that she does, _thought Oz.

"Go to her," Break suggested.

As Oz approached Alice, she stopped playing and stared at him. Alice's stare was piercing, like it saw right through everything.

"Good day." Oz murmured. "Sorry for bothering you. I brought some company with me. I hope you do not mind."

"If you were going to apologize, I prefer if you never did the thing to begin with Oz." was Oz's response. All of a sudden, Alice's expression changed and so did her voice.

"It has been a long time, Xerxes Break." Alice said in a dominating voice.

_She is a good actor, _thought Oz. _It seems that she has met Break some time ago, too._

"Good to see you too, Miss Alice." Smirked Break.

"It looks like you brought some other people with you today. Is it for protection? Or did you come to get another beating?"

"Neither of which, Miss Alice. This is merely for getting the result I want. I guess I will get straight to the point. I would like to request again that you cooperate with us in our missions. Your power is immense, matching up past the estimated power of Jack Vessalius. Also, I am pretty sure you are related in only too many ways to the prophecy. Your knowledge will come in handy, too."

"I must refuse your kind offer."

"I thought so." Break sighed for at least the third time this afternoon. _Why are moving things so annoying? _"Excusemy impudence but I must ask, why are you so set on not joining us?"

"I would like it if you did not interrupt me every time I try to finish my sentence, Xerxes Break. Have you ever considered this to be the reason why I tortured you last time?"

"Oh my. How scary. My apologies Miss Alice."

"Like I said, I refuse your offer if it is like last time. I have a condition if you want me to help you."

"A request from you? Well, it is not eternal life, that is for certain. I see that you already have no choice but to have that. You should already know that I, or any other member of Pandora can undo the curse."

"No. It is much simpler than that. All you have to do is give me a reason to help you. Something beneficial to me that will only happen if I help you. Whether it is a matter of life or death of simply something that will entertain me for a while. I could not care less."

"You make that sound so easy, Miss Alice. Even when you know it is one of the most difficult requests you could ever make. When even you do not know what you want. You do need to neither eat nor sleep. You do not need warmth and your acting is perfect to fool anyone. You can earn enough money by doing certain things and you live in a church even though you can afford a mansion. You do not care about honour or riches, nor life and love. What could possibly be beneficial to you?"

"That is for you to think about, Xerxes Break. Maybe your friends can help you? Meet me back here when you have an answer. Do not try to fool me with a pathetic trick. You know me well enough to know that it will not work."

With that, Alice returned to playing the piano. Oz, Gilbert and Break left, well aware that if the unwanted guests stay any longer, they will get a spanking from a chain saw or something equally worse.


	4. Conditions

I do not own _Pandora Hearts._

"Why do you not come to the Reinsworth mansion for a while, Oz? We should discuss about Alice. Also, I can see that you are confused and curious so why do you not join us in Pandora? You will understand yourself within time." Asked Break as they turned the corner in Break's carriage on the way to the Reinsworth mansion.

"You do not seem to be giving me a choice so I think I will agree." Answered Oz with a fake and foolishly innocent smile.

"Say," Oz said, "Your name is Gilbert right? Gilbert is a little hard to say. Can I call you Gil?"

"Yes. As you wish Master." Was Gilbert's reply.

"Also, stop muttering and talk the way you did yesterday. I prefer that. It sounds nicer."

"All right, them."

When they reached the Reinsworth mansion, Sharon came out to greet them.

"Did you have a nice trip?" she asked holding a paper fan in her hands. The fan was being held in a position that was uncomfortably alike to when she hit Break on the head.

"That was not a trip. It was a carriage ride and a torture at the church." Muttered Gil. He was hit on the head with a certain fan after saying that.

"Why of course milady," Break said pleasantly, "it was most amusing."

"It was fun!" replied Oz.

"Well then," Sharon said, "Why do we not go inside and talk. I presume Oz already decided to join Pandora?" Gripping the fan tighter in her hand.

Oz was perspective and easily noticed. "Yes. I find this quite interesting. I want to find out about what happened and who I am."

"I see," Sharon said after Break explained to her what happened. "That is quite a problem for us, is it not? Why do we not start with sharing our ideas? Break, you go first."

"Well Miss Sharon, I cannot think about anything at the moment. On second thought, why do we not write an ending to Lacie? It seems like that is one thing she cannot do. She just keeps on playing that piece in cycles and cycles."

"Break," Sharon said impatiently, "I do not remember you ever being a good composer. I cannot write music and the piece is not written down. She just keeps on playing the piece; like it is etched into her mind. Can Master Oz or Gilbert compose music?"

"Sorry, Sharon." Oz muttered.

"Me neither." Gilbert said.

Sharon gave a charming smile at both of them and hit Break on the head with her fan. "Next, Gilbert."

Gilbert tried to run. He almost ran out the door when Break grabbed him. "If you even think of escaping without the punishment, I will kill you." He hissed.

With that, Gil received a nice bump on his head.

"Oz," Sharon smiled again, "it is your turn."

"Um, I do not have any ideas but I do have this pocket watch. I do not really know why but I have had it since birth. It was always there in my pocket no matter which jacket I wear and I just cannot seem to throw it away. It is like a music box. It plays a tinkling melody sounding like Lacie." Oz took out his golden pocket watch and clicked it open. Immediately, Lacie's simple melody started playing.

The other three looked rather stunned for a moment. Then, Sharon asked, "Does that piece have an ending?"

"Sorry. No… Wait! I remembered something! In the prophecy, was there not something like _'To finish the never ending song'_?"

"Yes," Break said, "_'To see the end of the never-ending piece; And put to rest the one who needs peace'_ Why?"

"Well what if 'never-ending piece' meant Lacie and 'the one who needs peace' was Alice? She has, technically, been living for 99 years, right?"Oz asked.

"I wonder if she is important enough to take a full two lines of the prophecy though." Break wondered out loud. "Even so, do you not think she already knows about the prophecy?"

"We should try that, at least. We do not have much else of a choice so why not? Unless is Sharon has something in mind?"

"If I did, I would not have asked you three," Sharon said happily. "Let us give it a go, Master Oz."

"Anyway Sharon," Oz said annoyed, "Could you please tell Break to stop destroying the cake and then stirring my cup of tea with his fork?"

"Bre–" Break had disappeared. "It seems Break has gone to make some preparations, Master Oz."

"What do you want, Vincent Nightray? Destroying my fork like that all of a sudden?" Break asked impatiently looking into the red and golden eyes of Gilbert's brother.

"You must excuse my interruption, Xerxes Break, but I had to ask," said Vincent sneakily with his servant, the white haired Echo, by his side, "What could be going on with my dear elder brother?"

"If that was any of your concern, Vincent Nightray, I am sure your dear brother would have told you himself."

"My brother is busy, you see. It would be rude of me to interrupt him during his work."

"Although, you seem fine with disturbing and distracting him in every other way possible to get his attention," Break muttered.

"Do not be silly. I would not even dream of doing anything that would bother with my dear brother."

"Tell me, Vincent. Why do you care so much about Gilbert? No matter how I look at it, it is unnatural."

"How much I care about Gilbert is none of your concern, Xerxes Break."

"Then what he does is not your concern either, is it? Regardless, heed my warning, Vincent Nightray. One day, your blade will cut through what you care most about if you cannot accept things as they are. Believe me when I say that."

"It seems I will not get my response today," Vincent sighed, "Please tell my dear brother to be careful of his health and stay alive, okay?"

With that, Vincent Nightray disappeared with Echo by his side.

"My, my, what a troublesome brother you have Gilbert." Break muttered casting a final disgusted glance at the place where Vincent was standing.


End file.
